


The Wake

by Thebiwife



Category: ER (TV 1994)
Genre: Alcoholism, Cancer, Canonical Character Death, Death, F/F, F/M, IVF, Multi, Season/Series 08
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:22:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26477914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thebiwife/pseuds/Thebiwife
Summary: What we didn't see in 8x20 (Major Spoilers for season 8).
Relationships: John Carter/Abby Lockhart, Sandy Lopez/Kerry Weaver
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Kerry

“Hi, Kerry, Sandy! Come join us,” Susan shouted, waving the two of us over. 

It was evident from the looks on the faces around the table that our showing at the Wake, if that’s what this was, in _this...Tiki_ bar(!?) of all places was unexpected to say the least.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say I would come join you guys...I’m not usually one for socializing after work...” I muttered, taking the vacant seat next to Susan.

“Kerry, please don’t apologise, we’re glad you’re here,” Luka said, raising his glass of liquor to us.

“I owe you one,” I said, smiling shyly at Sandy, my tail between my legs. Not having been a _part of the gang_ , one that Mark had been such an integral part of, was always hanging over me, like I was an intruder or something, had always bothered me. Sandy was right, she always knew when I was too much in my head, and this was one of those situations.

My girlfriend kissed my temple, showing my human affectionate side for the first time in front of any of my colleagues, beyond _that_ kiss that was the very public undoing of my secret. “Let me get us some drinks in,” Sandy said, stroking my arm. “Y’all are good for drinks?”

The group nodded in turn. 

As Sandy returned she propped a club soda in front of me and a Whiskey sour in front of herself. Club soda was my go-to, since it’s bitterness and luminous colour under the UV lights made me feel and it appear like I was drinking when I wasn’t, bubbles still going straight to my head with effervescent innocence.

“I never thanked you all…” I said, coughing to clear my throat. “Both throughout Mark’s illness and his last few weeks with us having to carry on at work, you haven’t once stopped being supportive. I know it feels like I’m constantly coming down on you and that you think I don’t notice the small but significant things you all do each day, but I do, both to support each other at work and in our personal lives.”

“Kerry, we love you, you don’t need to give us a speech,” Abby laughed.

“I know? But I do owe you all a great deal of gratitude for how you’ve supported Sandy and I, when I know other members of the team may not have been as receptive, or used personal life against me when they already have a disliking for my management style.”

"Dr. Weaver, respectfully, we were all very glad to see Malucci go," Gallant said. 

"No-one in our hospital can speak to our Chief like that," Susan smiled. "You're one of us."

I began to tear up, and dabbed at my eye with a tissue. "Thank-you, everyone. It means a lot to hear that."

“Oh Kerry, you’re a pain in the ass but we wouldn’t have anyone else,” Haleh laughed, throwing her arms around Sandy and I. For the first time all day, I laughed too.


	2. Susan

“Mark was proud of you, you know?” I said, catching Kerry alone at the bar. 

Kerry nodded. “I know." Her face fell.

"What's up?" I asked her.

She hesitated. "I just...felt bad for him. Like I took his ER from him, after he’d been here longer than anyone else, loved it more than I ever could.”

“He couldn't have gone on much longer. And you do a great job. Let me get you another drink.”

“Just club soda for me, thanks.”

“You sure you don’t want anything stronger? You look like you might need it. This place is perfect if you want something that comes in a novelty glass.”

Kerry smiled. “I’m sure. I should probably tell you, since you’re gonna have to cover for me at some point. I’m having IVF.”

“Oh, wow, Kerry, congrats.”

“Congratulate me when it works.”

“Of course, but hey, wishful thinking," I squeezed her hand. "You guys will be great parents.”

“I’m glad you think so. Can you get a whiskey sour for Sandy?”

“Sure,” I smiled and nodded, getting the bartender's attention to put in the order, then having a sudden urge to wrap my arms around Kerry. As I hugged her I couldn’t help but think back to those early days, when Mark and I felt threatened by her. Heck, even Doug Ross was intimidated by her. And now she was a friend, not a friend how Mark had been, or Abby might be, but a friend nonetheless.

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do, if you need cover, or anything.”

“What if I want your eggs?” she asked, deadpan.

The bartender’s cracking of the egg for the white in the sour was unfortunately timed.  I laughed. 

“You never know, I might have to start harvesting my own if I want kids before I’m forty.”

Kerry took a sip of her soda. “You never know when it’ll happen, finding your person. Look at Mark and Elizabeth. Sandy and I. You’ll meet someone.”

I put my arm around her and kissed her cheek. “That means an awful lot coming from you, Kerry. Queen of pragmatism giving me hope for my love life.”

“You deserve it, Susan.”


	3. Sandy

“I told Susan,” Kerry whispered to me, as she sat back down. Susan followed her and sat at the other side of her, placing another whiskey sour in front of me. 

“Thankyou,” I nodded to Kerry's colleague, clinking my glass against hers. 

“You’re welcome,” Susan smiled, toasting me with her drink, some huge pink thing. “And congratulations, on your decision, I’m really happy for you both.”

I smiled back, wrapping my arm around Kerry’s waist. “How are you doing?” I whispered into her ear. 

“I’m ok,” Kerry smiled back, unconvincingly.

“Are you glad we came?”

Kerry nodded, although the smile she gave wasn't completely genuine, not like that smile she gives on the rare days I get out of bed before her, with the rising sun highlighting her cheekbones. 

"What's wrong? I mean, of course, you're sad about Mark. But there's something else, isn't there?"

She nodded, and edged closer to me. It soon became apparent that she wasn't exactly being affectionate, but wanting to stay out of earshot.

"We don't even know _if_ the IVF will work for us. Even if it does, the chances of me carrying to term and delivering a healthy baby, at _my_ age!? It's just too good to be true."

"You just have to hope, and pray. Have _faith_ ," I said, although I was quickly interrupted.

"And even if we manage to have a child, not every kid has a great childhood. Not every kid makes it past their, first, second, third birthday..."

"Kerry..."

"Not every story ends happily, Sandy. Look at poor Elizabeth, now she's left alone, with a child. What happened to her could happen to either of us, just look how many major incidents we've both been involved in, the number of close calls. We met in the middle of one, for Christ's sake."

"Kerry, we have to live. Stop mourning our life together before it even happens." 


	4. Luka

As welcoming as County is a place of work, people weren't always so receptive of the mysterious foreigner. It occasionally had its perks; using the language barrier as a cop-out whenever I didn't know what to say, speaking Croatian in significant moments had helped me a couple of times now. It was kinda reassuring that nobody knew exactly what I'd said in my vague eulogy. 

"I'm sure that was beautiful..." Susan joked, before standing to head to the bar with Kerry. 

"Drink?" I asked Abby, noticing the globe of whatever was in her _pink drink_ was almost empty.

"No, I shouldn't, I've had more than enough already," she replied. She kept looking towards the door.

"The six of us not good enough company for you?" I joked, although the sour look on Abby's face implied she was stung by my comment. 

"Yeah, I was thinking of asking Hawa'iian shirt guy back to my place tonight."

"You could do worse."

"What, you mean Carter?"

"Come on, you know the guy's hell-bent on getting you."

" _Getting_ me? Well aren't I lucky..." 

"I didn't mean it like that..."

"Sure," Abby said, getting up and heading outside, for a cigarette most likely.

"What happened with you two?" Susan asked, taking Abby's seat and shuffling closer to me.

"I don't know. She's a great girl, it just didn't work out."

"That's all you're giving me!?"

I shrugged sheepishly.

"I suppose it's good that you can get along with your ex, though."

"I guess, but that's not uncommon. Look at you and Mark"

"Oh my _God,"_ Susan near yelled. "Mark and I _never dated_!"

"I always assumed you had," Kerry piped up. "Before I worked here, I mean."

"No, he was like a brother to me!"

"How come you weren't at the wedding then!?" I teased.

"I don't know. It was a bit of a sore point when I came back...Elizabeth had seen how much he'd spent on calling me in Scottsdale."

I leant back, taking one last sip of my beer and relishing the bickering before me, if only because it solidified that I'd found my place, my people, when I never thought I would again.


End file.
